Nawab Malik picks Ajit faction; Fadnavis says he is not welcome

After making an unexpected appearance on the first day of the assembly session in Nagpur on Thursday, Nawab Malik, a former minister, and leader of the National Congress Party, put an end to days of rumors about his political allegiance and made it plain that he had selected Ajit Pawar over Sharad Pawar.

Indeed, MLAs from the governing coalition, of which the Ajit faction of the NCP is a member, are entitled to treasury seats.

Not only did the unexpected turn of events unsettle the opposition but also the BJP, given that Malik had kept everyone, especially the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, wondering ever since he was released on bail in a money laundering case.

Later in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis voiced his disapproval of Malik’s admission to the governing coalition to the public after successfully repelling the opposition’s onslaught in the council.

“Today, former minister and MLA Nawab Malik participated in the proceedings of the assembly,” he said in a letter written to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar that he shared on X (previously Twitter). It is his prerogative as an assembly member to do so. We don’t hate him personally, but in light of the accusations made against him, we believe it wouldn’t be right to have him in the Mahayuti coalition.

Nawab Malik is now out on bond after being imprisoned. Should he emerge unsullied by the accusations, you may certainly embrace him. You have complete control over who gets to attend your party. However, it is also critical and each alliance partner’s responsibility to ensure that the choice does not negatively impact the Mahayuti. Thus, we are against Malik’s admission,” he said.

Ambadas Danve, the head of the opposition in the council, spearheaded the attack by questioning the suitability of a former minister seated among members of the governing coalition in the lower house. The minister had previously been accused by the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena of having ties to terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

In response to the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Fadnavis said that they had called for Malik’s resignation when it became apparent that he had ties to terrorism and questioned why the accused minister had not been removed while they were in office (of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi). Additionally, he said that the administration headed by Uddhav Thackeray was inert, arguing that the opposition lacked the moral power to preach.

Sunil Tatkare, MP and state head of the Ajit group, confirmed after the scandal that Malik would undoubtedly run across his former legislative colleagues.

“Our senior party comrade is Nawabs Malik. We asked about his health when we saw him after he was released from custody due to health concerns. There was no talk of politics with him. Malik obviously encountered former party colleagues after returning to legislative activity after a lengthy absence,” he said in a post on X.

But the Ajit camp has not taken well to the open letter.

NCP MLC Amol Mitkari expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that the BJP and Fadnavis could have personally informed Ajit of their objections if they had any.

Rather, Fadnavis made the decision to write a letter and share it on social media. This, in my opinion, is not how an alliance should operate. Fadnavis issued the letter in response to criticism of Malik’s attendance in the assembly. Ajit Pawar will now make a decision on the subject, he said.

The Sharad Pawar faction’s Lok Sabha MP, Supriya Sule, described it as regrettable. “Nawab Malik is a senior NCP leader in our eyes, and we constantly support him. Until one is proven guilty, they are presumed innocent. Malik has been granted bail by the SC. Unfortunately, Fadnavis nevertheless penned a letter of such kind.

Vijay Wadettiwar, the assembly’s leader of the opposition, described the action as a component of the governing trio’s plan.

According to what I understand, Malik is one of the MLAs who has endorsed Ajit Pawar in writing. Congressman Wadettiwar told reporters, “BJP wants to distance itself from the issue following the criticism over their somersault, even though Pawar has inducted Malik into his party.”

When reporters questioned Malik about his choice to support the dissident section of the NCP, he said that the Supreme Court had instructed him to avoid speaking with the media. “I am a member of the NCP, and the party is united. I would stay in the house until the conclusion of the session to bring up concerns pertaining to my area, but I would not comment on political things.

Malik attended the parliamentary proceedings on Thursday and was subsequently seen sitting in Minister Anil Patil’s and the chief whip of the Ajit camp’s office.

Sushma Andhare, the head of the Thackeray group, took a hard stance against Fadnavis, claiming that the BJP had accused Minister Sanjay Rathod of being involved in the murder case of Pooja Chavan under the MVA administration.

Later, Rathod was approved by the BJP to serve as a cabinet minister in Shinde’s administration. Fadnavis questioned why Malik was still in the government at that time, she claimed.

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister, informed reporters earlier in the day that he had spoken with Malik over the phone and invited him to Nagpur for the meeting. “He is a senior leader with the ability to decide for himself on these issues.”

State chairman of the NCP (Sharad Pawar group), Jayant Patil, said he was unaware that Malik had chosen the opposing side.

Anushakti Nagar MLA Malik was imprisoned for eighteen months before being released on bail on August 11, 2023, based on medical reasons related to the money-laundering case, by the Supreme Court. On July 2, 2022, Ajit and a few other MLAs joined the Shinde and Fadnavis governing coalition while he was incarcerated.